Inside diplomacy

The book takes as its starting point a feminist critique of contemporary diplomacy that sees gender inequality as one of its problems. The book subjects these questions to an analysis that goes beyond a mere critique of the status quo. The focus is on eliminating gender inequality in the Foreign Service.

The publication focuses on the ways of fulfilling the ideal of gender equality in diplomacy. It also focuses on the rights and needs of persons accompanying diplomatic staff on foreign missions, especially diplomats' wives, as this issue has been only marginally reflected in the literature.

The final part of the publication deals with the issues of the systemic level of foreign service in terms of the institutionalisation of the principle of equality. It thus provides a comprehensive overview of the possibilities of weakening the still highly masculinized character of contemporary diplomacy. In doing so, it combines the results of academic research with practical foreign service issues – presents a wide range of possible initiatives and concrete actions. Cultivating the internal dimension of diplomacy offers enormous potential for improving its quality and effectiveness.